Chapter 65 - 65 64 Fireworks

65: Chapter 64 Fireworks 65: Chapter 64 Fireworks Returning home, what hit me was still the steaming scent of lively bustling activities. Upon close consideration, it was indeed the smell of life and warmth. Old man Jiang Fuzhen was grilling on the terrace with several others. The door between the living room and the terrace was left open, allowing the charcoal, the grilled meat, and the seafood aromas to pour into my nostrils. “How lively. Uncle Four, Auntie Five... Mrs. Hua, Aunt Liu...” Jiang Yuan greeted each of them, changed shoes, and made his way to the terrace. “You just said you’d be back, but didn’t know when, so for dinner, I just made barbecue, fresh whenever you walk in. Have a bowl of sheep soup first,” Jiang Fuzhen said it was for dinner but beside the barbecue, there was still a pot of sheep soup simmering with bone-in cuts from which the meat had been picked off, crack open at the center—few seasonings were added yet, the froth was skimmed off as pristine as always, making the sheep soup clear to the bottom, which might fool someone into thinking it wasn’t thick enough. In the sheep soup, Jiang Fuzhen also put a couple of small rib sections, unlike other cuts, the clean bones with ribs kept some chewiness even after prolonged cooking, feeling tender when bitten into yet requiring a bit of jaw work. Jiang Yuan, with a warm bowl of sheep soup in hand, sat down smilingly beside the grill, took a few sips of soup, and a bite of meat, and then listened to everyone bragging. Mom left early, and I had been living with dad ever since; the most perfect afternoon was to cook a pot of sheep soup and talk around the stove with the people from Jiang Village. Back then, the sheep soup was simply broth made from bones, and the rare piece of scrap meat would be put in my bowl by dad. And, no matter what our living conditions were, we were always thrilled if anyone didn’t disdain our sheep soup and was willing to come to our house for a drink. The bragging noises of the people were the best way to disperse loneliness and desolation. Having finished a bowl of sheep soup, the pent-up malice, anger, confusion, and doubts in Jiang Yuan’s heart seemed to have been whisked away with the wind. “Here, have a skewer.” Uncle Three enthusiastically stuffed three skewers of meat into Jiang Yuan’s hands. “Thanks, Uncle Three.” Jiang Yuan smiled back. A dog, following Uncle Three’s hand, came up to Jiang Yuan’s side, sniffing his hand and clothes with curiosity. The dogs raised by Jiang Village People were mixed breeds, with purebreds among them, but the majority were mutts. It wasn’t that they didn’t like the look of purebreds, but they couldn’t control the purebreds’ nocturnal and diurnal activities, so that even the best-bred dogs would, after some time, still produce mutts. Over time, the Jiang Village People gave up the pursuit of dog breeds and started to develop their own sense of aesthetics. For instance, this dog right here, the body shape of a Papillon with a hint of Pomeranian, and possibly even some Shih Tzu genetic mix. Looking at its head, it seemed to have some local mongrel in it too. Jiang Yuan casually stroked the dog’s head, which had fur softer than a Rottweiler’s, but its head wasn’t as bald as a Rottweiler’s. The dog stretched its neck, sniffing desperately at the scent on Jiang Yuan’s arm. “You’ve got quite a nose there, I’ll make you some food in a bit,” Jiang Yuan said as he patted the dog’s forehead, planning to review LV5 dog food recipes again. Hearing Jiang Yuan’s words, Jiang Fuzhen swallowed the meat in his mouth and said, “If you’re cooking, make something for everyone; there are so many of us, it’s better to have a meal together.” “I was thinking of making something just for the dog,” Jiang Yuan said with a wry smile. Jiang Fuzhen calmly replied, “What humans eat, dogs can eat, your Uncle Three’s dog isn’t picky.” Jiang Yuan explained, “I’m planning to make dog food, prepared according to a dog’s dietary needs.” “Dogs eat what people eat. We’re not picky eaters,” Jiang Fuzhen continued, tossing a bone under the table. The Papomshi dog whimpered as it took the bone, sniffing Jiang Yuan’s sleeve and nibbling at the bone with an excited demeanor. Everyone nodded in agreement. What else could Jiang Yuan say? To argue further would just be laziness. However, the information contained in LV5 cooking [dog] skills was very comprehensive, and there was a wide variety of dog food recipes. Following the ingredients available in the fridge, Jiang Yuan chose a type that was harmless to both humans and animals and started cooking in the large pot at home. Turns out, the large iron pot picked by the old man, which could cook a whole sheep in the city, was also ample enough to cook food for 10 pigs in the countryside. It was perfect for large-scale cooking. Small amounts of diced beef, small cuts of mutton, and plenty of vegetables were washed and set aside, each ingredient treated separately and stir-fried individually. As it was dog food, only a few seasonings were used. Nevertheless, when it was nearly time to serve, Jiang Yuan borrowed a technique left by Great-Uncle Seventeen and added salt, pepper, and other seasonings to the portion meant for the people... Aside from the Papomshi’s meal, the rest of the food, prepared in a mix-and-match style, was served in dishes. Everything was ready, and as Jiang Yuan turned around with the food, he saw several people already standing at the kitchen door. “Smells amazing,” Uncle Three said, holding the dog and licking his lips as he stared at the food in the dish. Mrs. Hua also nodded her head, “The food that Jiang Yuan made smells delicious, it looks great, diverse too. Youngsters nowadays, they really know a lot.” Jiang Yuan, with a smile, made room for others, and said, “Whether it’s tasty or not, you’ll know once you’ve tried it. One serving per person, let’s serve ourselves, the outermost one is for the dog.” “This little bugger is getting a treat today,” Uncle Three said playfully as he nudged the Papomshi while showing an extremely happy attitude. He was older than Jiang Fuzhen and stayed busy collecting rent, going from downstairs to upstairs, from one residential area to another with the Papomshi by his side. Even when going out for a barbecue, he took the dog with him, showing their true bond. Placing the dog’s food on the ground, the Papomshi, sniffing the aroma, was already getting excited. Unlike Dazhuang, who had years of training and a trainer’s restraint, it couldn’t wait any longer and started jumping up and down while barking happily. Worried about disturbing others, Uncle Three hurriedly shouted, “Stop barking, or you won’t get any!” The Papomshi protested with two “woofs,” its bright eyes wide like saucers. Jiang Fuzhen chuckled and said, “Let it bark if it wants to; the basement is just full of knick-knacks, and the sound won’t carry far.” Uncle Three finally moved his foot, allowing the Rottweiler to eat. The half-arm-length dog seemed desperate to stuff itself into the food bowl. Inside the room, only the ‘huff huff’ sounds of eating remained, and the barking ceased. A few people watched the dog and couldn’t help but laugh. They each took a stack of food and began eating in the dining room. In the blink of an eye, within the room, only the ‘huff huff’ sounds of eating remained, and the talking ceased. The group ate with such immersion, as if competing with the Rottweiler in a race. Jiang Yuan himself found the taste extremely good. The meat and vegetable rice contained a variety of ingredients, each processed and maintaining their original flavors. Just this alone was something you’d find in very high-end restaurants. Moreover, the combination and preparation of the ingredients were meticulously crafted, and during the cooking process, the flavors were further enhanced... “The rice Jiang Yuan cooked today could be served in a restaurant,” Mrs. Hua, to everyone’s surprise, was the first to finish. With a slap of her basin, she wiped her mouth and said, “It tastes much better than the Michelin-starred restaurants I visited abroad.” “Honestly, that carrot, we buy the exact same ones at home, yet the flavor here is different.” “The meat was cooked just right too, not too soft and not too firm, perfect.” “Probably fits the dog’s bite just right...” When everyone had their fill, more than half of the food in the pot was left. “There’s so much left, what should we do?” Mrs. Hua looked at the leftover food, her expression one of worry. “I remember there are stray dogs at the back door, we can give the leftovers to them.” Jiang Yuan had intentionally cooked extra, planning to feed the stray dogs. It was clearly stated in Chen Manli’s legacy that her cooking skills were meant for stray dogs. Jiang Yuan indeed didn’t have to follow it exactly, but he felt it was something he could do when he had the opportunity. Mrs. Hua, however, was somewhat reluctant, saying, “Why prepare it for stray dogs? Stray dogs eat from the trash anyway. Just divide it among the villagers, and it’ll be gone.” “We can’t just give it away to everyone just because we have leftovers at home,” Jiang Yuan said with a smile. “Otherwise, you all can take some back, and I’ll give the rest to the stray dogs.” Though he said this, Jiang Yuan first set aside a large portion of the dog food, keeping it for the stray dogs. Without hesitation, the remaining food was promptly divided up by Mrs. Hua and others. Afterward, everyone helped clean up the kitchen and the balcony. They also placed pots, pans, ladles, and bowls into the massive dishwasher before departing one after another. Only the Rottweiler continued to follow the packed boxes of people, but when its owner was about to leave with it, the Rottweiler suddenly barked twice and turned to run. Uncle Three, taken aback, called out, “Iron Hammer, we’re going home, where are you running to?” The Rottweiler, upon hearing this, only ran faster. Uncle Three smiled awkwardly, twisting his aging waist, and chased after the dog. Fortunately, the houses in Fuzhen were large but fairly square, so it didn’t take long for Uncle Three to corner the dog. “Woof. Woof woof!” Iron Hammer growled and bared its teeth. Smack! Seeing it bear its teeth, Uncle Three slapped it hard. In the countryside, people didn’t have many niceties when raising dogs—a dog that dared to bare its teeth got a good beating. The Rottweiler looked cute and was usually quite favored, but knowing its name was Iron Hammer, it naturally knew the power of its owner’s iron fist. Memories flooding back, it immediately curled up. “That’s what I thought, we’re going home.” Uncle Three picked up the dog and then waved goodbye to the people of Jiang Fuzhen and Jiang Yuan. Iron Hammer perched on Uncle Three’s shoulder, the big eyes of the Kazalan breed seemingly shedding real tears. “Woof, woof, woof.” Iron Hammer desperately barked at Jiang Yuan. Its voice could still be heard even as the elevator door closed. Jiang Yuan cleaned up and, carrying the remainder of the dog food, went to the back door. There were three stray dogs that passed by, eating leftovers from who knows whom at the back door. Jiang Yuan placed the food he had made a little further away and quickly left. Watching from a distance as the three stray dogs hesitated, Jiang Yuan inexplicably felt a hint of Chen Manli’s emotions. After returning home, Jiang Yuan went to his desk, took out his notebook, and quietly turned to the latest page. He had a habit of recording significant transactions. In earlier years, when his family had debts and sometimes had to buy on credit, Jiang Yuan was worried his father might forget someone’s account, so he kept his own records. This habit continued to the present, and when Jiang Yuan had free time or felt restless, he actually liked to look at the account book. Turning the pen in his fingers, he thought for a moment, then Jiang Yuan wrote down a line on the newest page: Received my first travel allowance in life, 180 yuan per day, for 13 days, amounting to 2340 yuan. Also, received support from my father, 20000 yuan. Total amount of 22340 yuan.